About:

The course will cover critical, analytic approaches to constructing and understanding educational policies. We will engage in scholarly discussion, analytical activities, and applied practice. 

This class will be organized in a seminar style format. Students will be taking information from readings and applying it to specific cases to explore and understand policy and politics, as well as the roles they play in schools, school boards, and broader governance.  Students will also be co-constructing facets of the class to ensure that the policies we analyze will be relevant to their contexts. 

We will use Perusall for the class readings and myCourses for assignment submission and feedback.

I will engage in two rounds of course feedback before the final course evaluations. This will allow me to make adjustments to the course based on students needs. I will explain the feedback process in class.

Mark Breakdown:

Possible new assignment ~ Education Policy Assignment 

We will use myCourses  for assignment submission and feedback. 

1. Perusall annotations on readings (25 %) ~ weekly

2. Participation & self-evaluation (15%) 

3. Policy Project (60%) ~ throughout semester ~ details below

Creation of Policy Project (the main focus of your work ~ 60%)

Subject Matter :

• You are a public policy analyst who is serving as advisor to one of the following: 

• a member of parliament

• a provincial legislator

• a provincial premier

• the director of a national or provincial ministry with responsibility for education, such as a school board, ministry of education, or higher education governing board.
  
  

In order to improve education in Canada or another country and to impress your boss at the same time, you are going to present him/her with ... 

• A carefully researched and written policy recommendation or set of recommendations on a specific topic. 

• You are also going to teach a workshop or “class” to your colleagues on the issue, as your boss believes in the concept of “cross-departmental professional development” (commonly known as cross-training today) and has a policy in place where professional development will happen quarterly and delivered by different members of the staff. 

Collectively, this work you are undertaking is considered your “policy project.”

Your policy project should focus on something related to the following: 

• What legislation this specific policymaker should introduce or support, or what the national or provincial agency should do about you chosen issue.

• Your policy proposal does not have to be original (i.e., one that has not been discussed in the policy arena in the past), but it should represent a substantive change from an existing policy. 

  • This can include a large-scale change in the level of effort or funding for an existing policy. Your proposal may concern any aspect of education, but it should be realistic, practical, and understandable to professional policymakers and lay people alike. 

  • You do not have to assume that your proposal would automatically garner widespread popular acceptance, but you should predict for your boss what the likely public reaction to your proposal would be. 

  • Your recommendations should be based on a careful analysis of the existing policy environment as well as any research on the topic that has been conducted, and they should be well supported and justified.

  • Students may work in groups of no more than two (or three - depending on class size) to complete this project.
    
    

Ηere are the steps to take for your project:

**** to be added Policy Autobiography *****

1. Policy Analysis Initial Proposal Idea (5%) (Jan. 24)

• Provide a one-paragraph description of the general education policy topic you would like to explore. If you wish to complete the project as a group assignment you should indicate so at this time. Please note that if you choose to do a group project, both students in the group will receive the same grade. By the next class (Feb, 1), I will provide comments on your proposed topic. 

2. Policy Analysis One Page Proposal (10%) (Feb. 7)

• Provide a one-page proposal that explains in more detail your chosen topic for a policy briefing. Your proposal should include the following:

  • • a brief description of the existing public policy issue;

    •  the organization in which you are working and the title of the public official you are advising;

    •  the major policy alternatives and your own policy recommendation among them;

    •  the principal bibliographical sources you plan to use, including (if advisable) face-to-face, telephone, and/or e-mail interviews
      ∗ comments on your proposal will be provided to you by the next class (Feb. 15). 

3. Your class-wide professional development workshop (20%) (Mar. 13, 20, 27, Apr. 3)

• You will teach your colleagues about the policy topic of your choice—focusing on the analysis of the current policy as it stands. Possible foci can include:

  • • The history of the policy and how it “came to be” (e.g. who supported it, how did it pass?)

    • An analysis of the language and the possible interpretations

    • How it has been implemented (if at all) and the ramifications of the policy

    • The mechanisms of control and the policy’s impact

    • Any other analytical lens or approach as discussed in class

    • This “class” will be about 45 minutes long. 

      • Please choose two background articles for us to read in advance (articles from Education Week, the Chronicle of Higher Education, Montreal Gazette, or similar sources are recommended). 

      • One week before your oral briefing, send copy in PDF format, to Sam, so it can be uploaded on Perusall. In addition to a presentation of the policy and information sharing, a discussion and/or activity is strongly suggested as part of your “PD”. 

      • More details in class.  Student Selected Topics: (e.g. Bill 101 and Acueill Classrooms; Bill 56; QEP; Bill 21)

4. Policy Brief Presentation (10%?) (class 12/13, April 10th?)

• The oral briefings will be presented in class.

  • Each student will be allotted approximately 15 minutes for the oral briefing including time for questions and discussion. 

  • The time allotted will depend upon how many students are enrolled in the class and how many group projects there are. 

  • Bring handouts or visual aids (Mind Map?) if appropriate and if they will help enhance your presentation. 

  • Include in your briefing some information about how your policy recommendation will be implemented, i.e., the logistics of passing your legislation or implementing your proposal within an executive branch agency. 

  • Besides providing background information regarding policy alternatives, be an advocate for the specific policy recommendation you have chosen. 

  • Keep your briefing succinct and lively.
    There will be opportunities for questions from the class and discussion of the issue(s) you have raised, and everyone will be expected to participate. 

5. Policy Brief Paper (15%) (April 17th ~ midnight)

• Your written policy briefings are due at midnight on April 19th. These should be 5 - 7 pages (5 - 6 for individual projects), double-spaced. More information about the format and content of the briefings will be provided during the semester. Late papers (without the consent of the professors) will be penalized with lower grades. Please include a bibliography formatted using APA style, and you should draw on several peer-reviewed journal articles as evidence. You may also consult Sam's extra resources, posted on Perusall (week of April 15).